Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Mysore Zoo to sport a new look by March

Steps are being taken by the concerned authorities to improvise the century old Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens by modernizing some of the already existing facilities while retaining it’s natural environment. By the end of March, Mysore Zoo will get a facelift and become more people-friendly as a new library, enclosures for new arrivals, construction of new shelters and lawns, placing new benches and providing dustbins every 10-feet are some of things that are planned.

The zoo also has plans to construct an aviary on the lines of the famous Lorry Loft and Jurong Bird Parks in Singapore. The aviary will housing a large number of birds flying just over the heads of the visitors, while they can even feed them with a special honey mix placed in cups held in hand, indeed a great experience for the visitors.

About 200 specially designed sign boards are being erected at strategic places to provide information about wild-life conservation. They have slogans on subjects like environment, importance of plants, eco-system and others.

New animals in the ZooThe famous Nile crocodiles of Africa will be brought from Madras Crocodile Bank Trust in Chennai and housed in the reptile enclosure. Special enclosures are being constructed to house pocket monkey. The zoo will also receive four Cheetahs and an Anaconda, all arriving in March.

Speaking to Express, Zoo Executive Director, Markandeya said that the work on the construction of a new library near Chimpanzee enclosure has already begun and will be completed by March end. As the present library was very congested, it will be housed in the new building coming up in the middle of zoo. The new library will be provided with six computers along with internet connection. Being more spacious than the previous one and with a large collection of books it provides a good ambience for the readers.

Presently there are more than 4000 books on flora and fauna, including journals, in the library’s collection and are planning to buy more books. With an annual membership fee of Rs.50, there are already more than 250 members. Some of the books here were received as donations dating back to 1950s and 60s.

There are books on all kinds of subject matters like wild life biology, zoological sciences, ecology and evolution, conservation of bio-diversity, veterinary science, botanical pants, wild life journals, News letters for bird watchers, Sanctuaries, zoos over the world, publications by the Bombay Natural History Society and National Geography and the India Green Files.